Fuse-box.



No. 841,449. PATENTED JAN. l5, 1907.

C. A. ROLFB.

FUSE BOX.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.21,1903,

ywe@ g gw f IIiIITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. ROLEE, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ROLFE ELECTRIC CO., OE ROCHESTER, NEWr YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FUSE-BOX.

ivo. 841,449.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed January 21,1903- Serial No. 140.013.

To @ZZ whom, llt nea/U concern:

Be it known that I, CrixnLns A. ROLFE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fuse-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

i\Iy invention relates to protective devices for protecting line-wire circuits-suoli as telephone, 'lire-alarm, and similar circuitsd from the damaging effects of unduly strong currents#such, for example, as those carried by lighting and power circuits.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, practical, and durable device for exterior use adapted to protect both sides of a fine-wire circuit and to insure against the possibility of any damage or injury by Iire as a result of the operation of the device.

In the device Vfor carrying out my invention herein shown I provide a box which can be made of metal or any suitable non-combustible material and provide the same with a cover which can be made to fit water and air tight to the box. `Within the box I suitably mount a pair of fuse devices, each containingl an inclosed fuse. These fuse devices are so supported as to be a suitable distance from each wall of the box. By such arrangement I provide a fuse for each side of the circuit, and these fuses are in.- closed by the device containing them and are also reinclosed, in effect, by being confined in the hermetically-sealed non-combustible box. In this way the circuit is amply protected, and at the same time there is no possibility of danger by operation of the fuses.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fuse-box embodying my present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the box with the cover removed, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the box with the cover in place.

The device shown comprises a relatively long box A, desirably made of metal coated with waterproof material. The box is provided with a cover B, adapted to fit over the top of, the box A, the cover B being also made of metal and covered with waterproof material. As a convenient and cheap arrangement both the box A and cover B can be cast. The cover B is desirably provided with a sheet 1 of packing material to make a water-tight joint between the box and cover. The cover is also provided with a pair of pins 2 2, adapted to extend down on the sides of the box, and thereby prevent the cover 'from turning. The cover is held in place by a threaded bolt 3 and a wing-nut 4l. The bolt 3 is secured to and rises from a standard or post 5, mounted on the YI'loor of the box A, being conveniently cast integral therewith.

The box A is provided with a pair of side `openings 6 6 and a pair of bottom openings 7 7. rIhese are for the line-wires 8 8 and instrument-wires 9 0, respectively. rIlle box A is also provided with a pair of supports 10 10, one near each end of the box, being cast integral therewith. Each of these supports has its upper portion recessed in two places, so as to form two concave seats, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon these supports 10 10 rest a pair of fuse devices C C. These fuse devices can be of any desired construction or style. As a preferred arrangement, however, they embody the general principles of construction of the fuse devices set forth in Patent No. 800,822, issued to me October 3, 1905. As such fuse devices are fully described and claimed therein, I will describe them here but briefly and will not claim them separately herein.

Each device consists of a tube which can be made of wood coated with waterproof material and having its opposite ends provided with metallic caps 11 11. Each of these caps 11 11 is held in position by a screw 12, which passes through both the cap and the wall of the tube. Into the ends of the tube are fitted threaded metallic tubes 18, which are also held in position by the screws 12 12. Nuts 14 14 are fitted on the threaded metallic tubes 13 13 and are adapt* ed to engage a sleeve as connectors for the line and instrument wires 8 8 and 9 9. Each device C contains an inclosed fuse 15, which is soldered to the threaded metallic tubes 13 13. Each fuse-tube is provided with flanges 16 16, located just inside of the caps 11 11.

ICO

'These langes are conveniently formed bv washers Vlitted tightly upon the tube. The luse devices C C thus constructed ht inte the concave seats of the supports 10 10, as 1 shown in Fig. 3, and are held securely in place by clips 17 17, removably attached to the supports 1() 10 by screws 18 1S.

1n using the device the box is secured in position to the wall of the building or otherwise, as by screws passing throughapertures 1Q 19 in the loor of the box A, and the linewires S 8 and instrument-wires 9 9 are connected with the opposite ends of the two fuse devices C C, as shown in Fig. 2. As thus arranged the device will protect the circuit against unduly strong currents. When such a current traverses the line, either one or both of the fuses in the fuse devices C C will blow, thereupon opening the circuit. Since these fuses are inclosed, there is no exposed arc, and, furthermore, since both fuse devices are eoniined in a sealed metal box there can be no danger by lire 'from operation of the fuses. Either or both of the fuses can be replaced, as maybe required, after operation by unscrewing the screws 1S 1S and removing one or both of the fuse devices C C and either substituting other devices for them or Stringing a new fuse or new fuses therein.

It will be seen that the device is simple and practical and can be easily and inexpensively made and that it removes all liability of damage and injury by lire.

What l claim as my invention is- 1. A fuse-box comprisin r a box structure l having its bottoni provided with a pair ot supports, each olE which is provided with two i, recesses, a pair of fuse-holding devices mounted upon said supports and litted into said recesses, a pair of clips 16, 16 secured to said supports and resting upon said fuseeholding devices so as to hold the same in position, y said fuse-holding devices being extended lengthwise of the box, and the side walls of the latter being provided near their upper ends with apertures lor wires to connect with the upper ends ol" the inse devices, and the bottom wall of the box being provided with two apertures tor comiecting-wires ruiming to the lower ends of the Vi'use devices.

2. Vfuse-box having` its bottom provided with int egrally-formed supports, in combination with in closed fuses resting upon said supports and provided with collars 16, 16, and clips 17, 17, removably secured to said supports and extending across said inclosed fuses, the collars 1G, 16, engaging the clips 17, 17, whereby the luses are held against endwise movement, and a cover detachably secured to said box.

ln witness whereof l hereunto subscribe my name this 23d dav ot .lulv, A. D. 1902.

CHARLES A. RCLFE.

I. C. LEE. 

